Hope You Dance
by Hulio
Summary: He's always left empty handed when it comes to her, however one night she decides to give faith the fighting chance and when she was given the choice to sit it out or dance. She danced, or tried to at least. Not a song-fic


Remus and Sirius shared a look, as they watched their mate stare longingly into the crowd of people scattered about the Great Hall, all slowly swaying to the music. "Prongs?" they questioned him, neither wanted to leave their best mate alone, but each equally as frustrated by the fact that they had been sitting at their table for the better part of the evening.

James let loose another shaky sigh, groaning into his hands about the lack of courageous qualities that as a Gryffindor he was supposed to posses. "You two don't have to sit here with me" he told them, for what seemed like the thousandth time, "I'm a hopeless cause, at this rate I'll be here all night and I would hate to keep you guys from having a good time."

"Come on mate" Sirius moaned, slapping him encouragingly on the back, "You've proved this year that there's nothing you can't do. This is just going to be another one of those things that you can cross of your list."

Remus eyed Sirius, as he nodded in agreement "Yeah, you can do it Prongs!" he continued, "She wants you to go talk to her, she looks over here every two minutes to check if you're coming over."

James disagreed, shaking his head in disbelief, "Oh no, no. I can't do it, I mean what if she says no?" Both Remus and Sirius rolled their eyes in response, giving him their most threatening looks, mentally agreeing to get James to go and ask her.

"Prongs, I swear to you that if you don't go ask her to dance right now, I will." stated Sirius, tired of his mates attitude, "Then you can sit here and watch as I twirl the girl of your dreams around the Great Hall"

Remus and Sirius both smirking, knowing that they had got him.

James' eyes widened, "You wouldn't!" he retorted, however chuckled lightly at his response, "Oh hell, you would!" he mumbled under his breath as his eyes drifted over to the other side of the room where she laughed loudly with her friends.

Sirius gave an exasperated groan and slowly started getting to his feet, "Alright" said James upon noticing Sirius' movement "I'm going, I'm going"

"Good" stated Sirius, giving him a strong push towards the girl of his dreams

Remus sighed as Sirius retook his seat and they watched their best mates retreating back, "What's wrong with you?" demanded Sirius "Hold that thought, if it's about girl's I don't want to know"

"No, it's nothing" he said in response "I would've just loved to have seen the look on James' face at you dancing around the room with Lily in your arms"

Sirius shrugged, smirking slightly "I will have plenty of time to dance with her at their wedding"

Remus raised an eyebrow, smiling at the idea of his mate getting married, "If he can barely rack up the courage to ask her to dance, how do you ever think he's going to be able to ask her to spend the rest of her life with him?"

Sirius shrugged, "You and I both know she's falling in love with him" he stated in response, "If she's crazy enough to do that, then she's crazy enough to accept his proposal no matter how he does it.."

"Oh yeah?" questioned Remus, "And besides, where in the world do you get the idea that she's falling in love with him?"

Sirius rolled his eyes, "Oh for the love of Merlin, you see the way she looks at him, the way she smiled around him, the way she laughs louder, blushed harder, tries to look nicer. She's bloody in love with him and the only person that can't see it is James. He's a bloody idiot for not being able to, but then again so is she, because she hasn't yet realized James loves her back."

"Since when have you been so observant anyway?"

"I'm deep" replied Sirius, standing from his chair "Now come on Moony, let's go spike the pumpkin juice"

Remus stood and followed, "Good, I was worried for a minute we had lost the real Sirius" he said, following him across the dance floor, enjoying how as they crossed multiple girls looked at them hopeful that they were walking over to ask them to dance.

* * *

><p>James felt his palms start to get sweaty, his heart beat increase rapidly and he tugged at his tie nervously. He sneaked a glance behind him at the table where he previous sat with Sirius and Remus, however both boys appeared to have disappeared.<p>

Suddenly, feeling extremely alone, he contemplated backing out and simply asking a different girl that would surely say yes. He scanned the Great Hall for another girl but caught the eyes of his two best mates, watching him from over by the punch bowl. They each gave him a stern but reassuring nod, urging him to go on.

Taking a deep breath to steady his breathing, James continued over towards Lily's table. As he approached, he realized how beautiful she actually looked that night. She was wearing a knee length light brown dress, sometimes catching the light making it look gold. It hugged her body ever so slightly, displaying but giving nothing away. Her red hair cascaded in slight curls down her back causing it to bounce lightly every time she threw her hair back in laughter.

Girls around their table looked up excitedly when they saw James walking in their direction, however they knew that he only had eyes for one. Clearing his throat, he willed for him to regain his courage. Lily Evan's emerald eyes stared up at him expectantly, as he stammered and mumbled like an idiot.

Lily nodded towards the empty chair next to her, "Are you always this articulate?" she asked, to which he simply smirked in reply, running a hand through his hair.

He was saved as his mates came up behind him, "How about I save you from having to listen to them?" Sirius said, extending his hand to one of Lily's best friends who he had liked for nearly four years, Marlene McKinnon.

She laughed, eagerly taking his hand, "Anything to get me out of here" she replied, winking at Lily as he led her towards the dance floor.

"I'm imagining you don't want to listen to them either?" Remus inquired, to which the other girl simply nodded in agreement, taking his extended hand as well.

"I suppose that dancing with you would be more fun" Mary MacDonald playfully added, as he pulled her towards the crowd.

James looked around nervously, knowing that his two mates had purposefully left him alone with her. He sighed deeply, his heart still racing.

Lily beamed as James casually took the seat beside her, in his white collard dress shirt and black slacks, his tie hanging loosely around his neck, completely irresistible. "James" she said lightly, "Having a good time are you?"

He smiled back, his nerves slowly fading away, "Oh yeah, great. Though I'm pretty sure Sirius spiked the punch bowl"

Lily nodded, looking over towards the table watched as a few fifth years filled their cups and made disgusted faces upon drinking. "Sounds like something he would do, probably dragged Remus into as well" James smiled, knowing that was probably true "Thanks, for the warning, I owe you one"

"I was hoping you would say something like that" James replied, finally finding his confidence and getting to his feet, offering her his hand "Would you do me the honor?" he questioned

Lily's smiled faded, and a blush rose to her cheeks. He heard her swear under her breath as she stared down at her hands that were properly placed in her lap. "I can't James," she whispered, making sure that no one would hear her.

James face fell, though he shrugged it off quickly. Playing off the rejection as nothing, though it stung slightly. "Don't worry about it Evans" he stated, turning and walking away with his head hanging.

"No, James!" she said, getting to her feet and grabbing his head causing him to stop abruptly, "You seem to have misunderstood, it's not that I wouldn't love to dance with you, it's just I can't dance"

"Lily" he responded, looking down at her hand in his, "I've seen you dance, you don't have to lie, a simple no would have sufficed"

She shook her head "Not this kind of dance. I'm a muggleborn James, I don't know how to do that" she stated ushering to the wizards and witches who waltz happily in the middle of the room.

James nodded his agreement, tearing his gaze away from her wonderful eyes to look at the other couples. Returning his gaze to her face smirking mischievously. He tightened the hold on her hand and pulled her towards the dance floor, "You're in for a wonderful treat, Evans"

"James" she hissed, trying and failing to tare her hand out of his grasp,"What are you doing?"

He stopped abruptly, turning around to face her, "Oh please Lily." James told her, unable to hide a smile, "I've been waiting all night to dance with you and dance we shall"

"But James" she practically begged, "Please don't, I don't want everyone to see me making a complete fool of myself,"

"We'll be fools together" he assured her, watching as a small smile spread across her face and she nodded her agreement, allowing him to pull her onto the floor.

James lead her to the center of the dance floor, in view of everyone. Lily blushed slightly upon seeing that all eyes were on the two of them, her blushed deepening as James pulled her closely placing one hand on her hip, taking the other in his left hand. "James" she whispered, "Maybe this isn't a good idea,"

"I'm not going to let you backing out now" James encouraged, "Now just follow my lead"

Lily could honestly tell you that she did try, she watched their feet, praying that it would eventually get easier. However, as the song went on she realized the only thing she had accomplished was to make a complete idiot of herself in front of everyone. She caused them to bump into at least two other couples and stepped on James' toes with every other step that she took. Upon bumping into another couple she dropped his hand, and stepped back from him.

"This is a lost cause, James." Lily told him, her mind set on going back to her seat and not moving for the rest of the night, "I give up"

James laughed lightly at her antics and retook her by the waist, "Lily" he whispered into her ear, causing shivers down her spine, "Step up onto my feet"

Without a question she did as she was told, placing her hands upon his shoulders then slowly and cautiously placing her feet upon his. Suddenly she felt herself flying around the room, as James danced them both to the beat of the music.

Her face lite up with delight, she stared in amazement as he moved their feet, unable to control her laughter. He was magnificent, and Lily suddenly began to question how she could've ever hated him in the past.

James watched as she continued to smile, realizing that it was the best thing he's ever seen. Vowing to make her smile like she was in this moment for the rest of her life.

She looked up at him, as the song started to come to a close, "You're staring at me" she stated bluntly, having felt his eyes on her for the past few minutes.

James pulled her even closer, bending his head to whisper in her ear, "You're just so beautiful, I can't help it" he replied simply, smirking at the small blush that had crept onto her cheeks.

The music did come to it's dreaded end and was replaced by faster, more upbeat music. Lily let go of his hand and climbed off of his feet, stepping back from him ever so slightly. He frowned as she mumbled her thanks, then watched as she retreated to the table where her friends were watching and waiting.

James sighed and also turned back to his table, a small smile creeping onto his face.

"Wow" stated Sirius as James retook his seat at their table, "I really thought that you were finally going to kiss her, mate"

He nodded along, still in a daze as he continued to picture Lily Evan's smiling back up at him, "What do you think this means?" he questioned, ignoring Sirius' comment.

Both Remus and Sirius shared a look, "Well Prongs, I think it's safe to say that she likes you" admitted Remus.

James beamed at his two best friends, then glanced quickly in her direction to find her staring back. He winked in her direction, watching as a blush rose to her cheeks.

_oh yeah, _he thought, _she definitely fancies me. _

* * *

><p>A small cloud of grief had fallen over their small house in Godricks Hallow, the boxes around the room had remained unpacked in hopes that they would be able to come out of hiding in the next few days. As Lily put it the evening they moved in "<em>unpacking would mean that we are planning to stay"<em>

James didn't dare argue with her and replaced the tape on the box he had ripped open, before siting himself down on the couch next to his wife. "We'll be out of hiding in no time," he had agreed, after kissing her on the forehead.

And since that first day, the couple hadn't done much. However one morning when James descended the staircase, slightly worried to have woken up to an empty bed he found Lily to be sitting in the living room, no boxes in sight.

He pulled her into his arms after realizing she had been crying, "I figure, that we might as well unpack and stop lying to ourselves." stated Lily, relaxing into his arms, "You and I both know that we're going to be here for a long time"

"I know" he whispered sadly, kissing the top of her head. Although couldn't help but smile when he remembered his wish only a few years ago, and he stood from the couch pulling Lily to her feet along with him.

She didn't dare question him, instead letting her grab one of her hands and placed his other on her hip. Lily smiled back up at him, as they danced around the room together."Thank goodness you finally managed to teach me how to dance," she stated, laughing in memory of herself.

He nodded, pulling her closer,"I don't know if I've ever told you, but that night in the Great Hall I wanted to do something" James informed her,

"Oh?" she questioned, a smile on her face, knowing what he was about to do.

He mirrored her smile, tilting his head down towards her and closing the gap between them, kissing her passionately.

She pulled away and beamed up at him, "If you wanted to kiss me so badly why didn't you?" she questioned

"Because my love" he stated leaning in once more "somethings are worth waiting for" he whispered before capturing her lips.


End file.
